My family has been gardening for many years and we all love it.   The one thing that has always been frustrating is the amount of food that doesn't get consumed because of the large amount harvested in the summer months.   Last year, I purchased 2 freeze dryers in order to preserve our garden vegetables and eat them throughout the winter months, reducing waste and maintaining the high quality nutrients in our vegetables.   I live in Zone 7b, so our gardens produce many types of peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, beets, onion, garlic, rosemary, cilantro, thyme, spearmint, peppermint, basil, bee balm, Greek and Italian oregano, dill, green beans, sugar snap peas, strawberries, blueberries, figs, peaches, pears, blackberries, raspberries, kiwi, along with others that have slipped my mind for now.   

Freeze drying has allowed me to create my own organic supplements (garlic, beet root, etc.), create powders out of my fruits for use in smoothies and simply freeze drying the fruits and vegetables in their original form, sliced or diced.   Please feel free to email us with any questions or suggestions!